Axial-type electronic component inserting method

ABSTRACT

In a method of inserting, into a board, axial-type electronic components, wherein each of the electronic components has a pair of lead wires extending from a main body and belongs to an assembly of electronic components connected by a tape as arranged at regular intervals, the components are grasped with a plurality of chucks which are intermittently moved to a component supplying position and a component transferring position, respectively. Each of these chucks comprises grasping pieces having first and second grasping grooves, the first grasping grooves having inner surfaces for grasping end portions of each of a first kind of the components whose taped portions are of a first tape interval, the second grasping grooves having inner surfaces for grasping end portions of each of a second kind of the components whose taped portions are of a second tape interval smaller than the first tape interval, the second grasping grooves being slightly deeper than the first grasping grooves. The method includes a first process for taking out one of the components from a component supplying device while preventing the second grasping grooves from contacting the lead wires of the component when the lead wires of the component are grasped by the first grasping grooves when the component grasped by the chuck is the first kind of the component, and a component delivering process.

This application is a divisional application of application Ser. No. 08/740,993, filed Nov. 5, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,662, issued Dec. 30, 1997.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an axial type electronic component inserting method and apparatus for automatically inserting lead wires of an axial type electronic component into specified holes of a board.

As shown in FIG. 11A, axial type electronic components are assembled with their pairs of lead wires 2 a and 2 b extending from electronic component bodies 1 a arranged at regular intervals of d1 as taped at both ends of the lead wires 2 a and 2 b by tapes 3 a and 3 b. It is known that such an assembly of axial type electronic components 1 taped at regular intervals as described above is subjected to an inserting process by an apparatus as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 1-305600 and so forth.

A component supplier 4 as shown in FIG. 12 retains such an assembly of axial type electronic components 1, and it is provided with cutters 5 a and 5 b for cutting the tapes 3 a and 3 b that are taping the lead wires 2 a and 2 b of the axial type electronic components 1.

Taped end portions including the lead wires of the assembly of the axial type electronic components 1 retained by the component supplier 4 are grasped and pulled by chuck pieces 6 of a component carrier 7, and the tapes 3 a and 3 b are cut by the cutters 5 a and 5 b of the component supplier 4, so that one axial type electronic component 1 is taken out.

The axial type electronic component 1 that has been taken out is grasped by the chuck pieces 6 by their end portions, and then carried by the component carrier 7 to an inserting position.

A component inserter 11 as shown in FIG. 13 receives the axial type electronic component 1 from the component carrier 7 in the inserting position, cuts both the ends of the lead wires 2 a and 2 b including the lead taping portions of the axial type electronic component 1, bends the extending lead wires 2 a and 2 b at both the ends to a desired width, and inserts the extreme end portions of the lead wires into specified holes of a board.

In the prior art shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, component inserting processes have been successively performed by reciprocating one component carrier 7 between the component supplier 4 that retains the axial type electronic components 1 and the component inserter 11 that inserts each axial type electronic component 1.

Furthermore, according to the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 1-305600, its component carrier is constructed so that it can mount another chuck piece for grasping even a radial type electronic component in addition to the axial type electronic component.

According to the above-mentioned conventional construction, it has been very difficult to reduce the insertion cycle because the axial type electronic component supplying and inserting operations are executed alternately one after another. In other words, since the axial type electronic components are fetched or taken out one by one, there is a process in which the component carrier returns as unloaded. This has occupied a great part of the component insertion cycle time, and has been problematic lately when mass production is required in a short time.

Furthermore, in the case of a component grasping device for grasping even a radial type electronic component in addition to the axial type electronic component as disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 1-305600, there is the issue that the device cannot manage axial type electronic components having different tape intervals (taping intervals) (e.g., a tape interval of 26 mm and a tape interval of 52 mm as indicated by d2 in FIG. 11A).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an axial type electronic component inserting method and apparatus capable of improving an axial type electronic component inserting efficiency and managing axial type electronic components having different tape interval specifications.

In accomplishing these and other aspects, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an axial type electronic component inserting method for inserting into specified holes of a board a pair of lead wires of each of axial type electronic components while a plurality of chucks grasping each of the axial type electronic components are intermittently moved to a component supplying position and a component transferring position, respectively, the pair of lead wires extending from a main body of each of the electronic components belonging to an assembly of electronic components which are connected by a tape as arranged at regular intervals, each of the chucks comprising protruding grasping pieces having first grasping grooves and second grasping grooves, the first grasping grooves grasping, with their inner surfaces, end portions of each of the first kind of the axial type electronic components whose taped portions are of a larger tape interval, the second grasping grooves grasping, with their inner surfaces, end portions of each of the second kind of the axial type electronic components whose taped portions are of a smaller tape interval than the larger tape interval, a depth of each of the first grasping grooves being slightly smaller than a depth of each of the second grasping grooves.

The method comprises:

a first process for

taking out one of the axial type electronic components from a component supplying device for retaining the assembly of axial type electronic components connected by the tape while one of the chucks grasps end portions of the assembly at the component supplying position while preventing the second grasping grooves from contacting the lead wires of each of the first kind of the axial type electronic components grasped by the first grasping grooves when each of the first kind of the axial type electronic components are grasped by the chuck; and

a component delivering process for

moving to a component inserting device the chuck which has already grasped the axial type electronic component through the first process, and

delivering the axial type electronic component to the component inserting device from the chuck,

wherein the first process and the component delivering process are simultaneously executed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the axial type electronic component inserting method as defined in the first aspect, wherein the first process includes, before the component taking-out step, a step of stopping one of the chucks at the component supplying position and a step of grasping by the stopped chuck the end portions of the assembly of axial type electronic components in the component supplying device for retaining the assembly of axial type electronic components connected by the tape, and also includes, after athe taking-out step, a step of cutting the tape which connects the assembly of axial type electronic components so as to separate each axial type electronic component.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the axial type electronic component inserting method as defined in the second aspect, wherein the component delivering process includes:

a second process for

moving to the component transferring position the chuck which has already grasped the axial type. electronic component in the first process, and

delivering the grasped axial type electronic component to a component transferring device; and

a third process for

delivering the axial type electronic component to the component inserting device from the component transferring device which has already grasped the axial type electronic component in the second process.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the axial type electronic component inserting method as defined in the third aspect, further comprising:

a fourth process for

inserting both ends of the lead wires of the component which has already been received by the component inserting device into the specified holes of the board, and

bending the lead wires underneath the board to fix the lead wires to the board,

wherein the third process is completed by a time when the chuck located in the component transferring position is put into a state in which the chuck becomes capable of delivering the axial type electronic component to the component transferring device in the second process of a subsequent component inserting cycle, and

the fourth process is completed by a time when the component transferring device is put into a state in which the component transferring device becomes capable of delivering the axial type electronic component to the component inserting device in the third process of the subsequent component inserting cycle.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the axial type electronic component inserting method as defined in the fourth aspect, further comprising:

a fifth process for

intermittently moving the chucks to the component supplying position and the component transferring position, respectively, by a carrying device; and

a sixth process for

stopping the chucks at the component supplying position and the component transferring position by the carrying device,

wherein the fifth process and the sixth process are executed alternately, and

the first process is executed in the sixth process concurrently with execution of the second process.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the axial type electronic component inserting method as defined in the third aspect, wherein in the third process, the component transferring device centers the axial type electronic component by adjusting the main body of the axial type electronic component from both sides of the main body while recesses formed on facing portions of centering pieces come in contact with both sides of the body of the electronic component.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided the axial type electronic component inserting method as defined in the fourth aspect, wherein in the third process, the component transferring device centers the axial type electronic component by adjusting the main body of the axial type electronic component from both sides of the main body while recesses formed on facing portions of centering pieces come in contact with both sides of the body of the electronic component.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the axial type electronic component inserting method as defined in the fifth aspect, wherein in the third process, the component transferring device centers the axial type electronic component by adjusting the main body of the axial type electronic component from both sides of the main body while recesses formed on facing portions of centering pieces come in contact with both sides of the body of the electronic component.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an axial type electronic component inserting apparatus for inserting into specified holes of a board a pair of lead wires of each of axial type electronic components, the pair of lead wires extending from a main body of each of the electronic components belonging to an assembly of electronic components which are connected by a tape as arranged at regular intervals, each of taped portions of a first kind of the axial type electronic components having a larger tape interval and each of taped portions of a second kind of the axial type electronic components having a smaller tape interval than the larger tape interval.

The apparatus comprises:

chucks constructed so that each of the chucks can move forward and backward while grasping end portions of one of the first and second kinds of the axial type electronic components, each of the chucks comprising protruding grasping pieces having first grasping grooves and second grasping grooves, the first grasping grooves grasping, with their inner surfaces, end portions of each of the first kind of the axial type electronic components, the second grasping grooves grasping, with their inner surfaces, end portions of each of the second kind of the axial type electronic components, a depth of each of the first grasping grooves being slightly smaller than a depth of each of the second grasping grooves so as to prevent the second grasping grooves from contacting the lead wires of each of the first kind of the axial type electronic components grasped by the first grasping grooves;

a component carrying device which is provided with the chucks arranged at regular intervals in a circular form and each of which operates intermittently so that each chuck stops at least in a component supplying position and a component transferring position;

a component supplying device which is provided with a cutter for cutting the tape connecting the assembly of axial type electronic components and operates to supply each axial type electronic component to each chuck located in the component supplying position; and

a component transferring and inserting device which receives the axial type electronic component from each chuck located in the component transferring position, inserts both the ends of the lead wires into the specified holes of the board, and bends the lead wires underneath the board so as to fix the axial type electronic component to the board.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the axial type electronic component inserting apparatus as defined in the ninth aspect, wherein the component transferring and inserting device comprises:

a component transferring device which receives each axial type electronic component from each chuck located in the component transferring position and transfers the axial type electronic component to a component inserting position; and

a component inserting device which receives the axial type electronic component from the component transferring device in the component inserting position, inserts both the ends of the lead wires into the specified holes of the board, and bends the lead wires underneath the board so as to fix the axial type electronic component to the board.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided the axial type electronic component inserting apparatus as defined in the tenth aspect, wherein each of the chucks has a plurality of protruding grasping pieces corresponding to different tape intervals for concurrently grasping the tapes and lead wires of the axial type electronic component having different tape intervals, and

the component transferring device is provided with retaining pieces corresponding to the protruding grasping pieces of the component grasping device.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the axial type electronic component inserting apparatus as defined in the tenth aspect, wherein the component transferring device is provided with centering pieces for centering the axial type electronic component by adjusting the main body of each set axial type electronic component from both sides of the main body while recesses formed on facing portions of centering pieces come in contact with both sides of the body of the electronic component.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the axial type electronic component inserting apparatus as defined in the eleventh aspect, wherein the component transferring device is provided with centering pieces for centering the axial type electronic component by adjusting the main body of each set axial type electronic component from both sides of the main body while recesses formed on facing portions of centering pieces come in contact with both sides of the body of the electronic component.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the axial type electronic component inserting apparatus as defined in the tenth aspect, wherein the component inserting device cuts both ends of the lead wires, and bends the extending lead wires to a desired width, before inserting both the ends of the lead wires into the specified holes of the board.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects and features of the present invention will become clear from the following description taken in conjunction with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an axial atype electronic component inserting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a side view of a chucking operation of a supplying device of the apparatus;

FIG. 2B is a top view of the chucking operation of the supplying device;

FIG. 3A is a side view of a chucking operation of the supplying device;

FIG. 3B is a top view of the chucking operation of the supplying device;

FIG. 4A is a side view of a chucking operation of the supplying device;

FIG. 4B is a top view of the chucking operation of the supplying device;

FIG. 5A is a side view of a chucking operation of the supplying device;

FIG. 5B is a top view of the chucking operation of the supplying device;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a turning operation of a carrying device of the apparatus;

FIG. 7 is a side view of transfer of an axial type electronic component in the apparatus;

FIG. 8 is a conceptual view of cutting of lead wires;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of fixing of an axial type electronic component;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of an operation example according to an axial type electronic component inserting method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11A is a schematic view of an assembly of axial type electronic components;

FIG. 11B is a structural view of an axial type electronic component;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a component supplier of a prior art arrangement;

FIG. 13 is a schematic view of a component inserter of the prior art arrangement;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary detail view of a portion of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 15A and 15B illustrate the FIG. 14 portion as viewed in the directions of arrows K and L respectively;

FIGS. 16A and 16B are fragmentary detail views of portion of the FIG. 1 arrangement, with FIG. 16B being a view of the centering chucks viewed in a direction of an arrow M in FIG. 16A;

FIG. 17 is a view showing taped portions being grasped in a case where the tape interval is 52 mm;

FIG. 18 is a view showing taped portions being grasped in a case where the tape interval is 26 mm;

FIG. 19 is a view showing taped portions being grasped in a case where the tape interval is 52 mm;

FIGS. 20A and 20B illustrate body configurations of electronic components; and

FIG. 21 is a view showing centering chucks in operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the description of the present invention proceeds, it is to be noted that like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout the accompanying drawings.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

An axial type electronic component inserter of an embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1 comprises a supplying device 4 which stores an assembly of axial type electronic components having a tape interval of 26 mm as one example and includes cutters 5 a and 5 b for cutting tapes 3 a and 3 b that tape lead wires 2 a and 2 b of each axial type electronic component 1. The cutters 5 a and 5 b are driven by driving devices such as solenoids or cylinders under the control of a controller 18 described below.

There is further comprised a circular table (component carrying device) 7 which is provided with four chucks 6 a, 6 b, 6 c, and 6 d that hold the taped portions including the lead wires of the axial type electronic component assembly stored in the supplying device 4 by protruding pieces 19 each having a grasping groove 15 and that take out axial type electronic components 1 at intervals of each component. The table 7 successively shifts the chucks 6 a through 6 d to specified station positions by intermittently turning in a direction of R. Each chuck has a pair of chucking elements 51 capable of reversibly rotating around a fulcrum 52 against an urging force of a compression spring 53 or by the urging force so as to hold the tape 3 with or release the tape 3 from the holding ends of the elements 51, and a wedge element 50 having at its tip end a wedge portion 50 a capable of being inserted into or retracted from between the other ends of the chucking elements 51 so as to rotate the elements 51 for holding the tape 3 with or releasing the tape 3 from the holding ends of the chucking elements 51. That is, when the tape 3 is held by the holding ends of the elements 51 as shown in FIGS. 2A, 3A, 4A, and 5A, the wedge portion 50 a of the wedge element 50 is first retracted from between the other ends of the elements 51 to open the holding ends of the elements 51 by the urging force of the spring 53 and then, after the tape 3 is located between the opened holding ends of the elements 51, the wedge portion 50 a is inserted between the other ends of the elements 51 such that the holding ends of the elements 51 are closed and the tape 3 is held therebetween against the urging force of the spring 53 as shown in FIGS. 3A, 4A, and 5A. On the other hand, when the tape 3 is released from the holding ends of the elements 51, the wedge portion 50 a is retracted from the other ends of the elements 51 to open the holding ends of the elements 51.

A component inserting device 11 has a component transferring device 12 which receives each axial type electronic component 1 grasped by any of the chucks 6 a through 6 d provided on the circular table 7, cuts both ends of the lead wires 2 a and 2 b including the taped lead portions of each axial type electronic component 1 set on the transferring device 12, bends the lead wires 2 a and 2 b extending from the electronic component body 1 a to a specified width, and then inserts the lead wire ends of the axial type electronic component 1 into specified holes of a board. The respective concrete operations of the inserting device 11 are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,832,597 and 5,797,178.

Further, the four chucks 6 a through 6 d on the circular table 7 are arranged so that two of them are simultaneously positioned in a component supplying station position P of the supplying device 4 and a component transferring station position Q of the transferring device 12 by an intermittent turning operation of an AC servomotor 8. The supplying device 4, the circular table 7, and the inserting device 11 are each controlled by a controller 18 which synchronously executes the supplying and inserting operations of the axial type electronic components 1. The operation of the transferring device 12 can be also controlled by the controller 18 so as to cooperate with the inserting device 11 and the circular table 7.

Each of the chucks 6 a through 6 d is provided with four protruding grasping pieces (component grasping device) 19 a through 19 d so that they can grasp an axial type electronic component 1 having a varied tape interval. For example, a pair of protruding grasping pieces 19 a and 19 d located outwardly are to grasp an axial type electronic component 1 having a tape interval of 52 mm, while a pair of protruding grasping pieces 19 b and 19 c located inwardly are to grasp an axial type electronic component 1 having a tape interval of 26 mm. As shown in FIGS. 14, 15A, and 15B, the outer side pair (for the electronic components with the tape interval of 52 mm) of protruding grasping pieces 19 a, 19 d have grasping grooves 15 a, 15 d which are less deep by 0.15 mm than grasping grooves 15 b, 15 c of the inner side pair (for the electronic components with the tape interval of 26 mm) of protruding grasping pieces 19 b, 19 c. These protruding grasping pieces 19 a through 19 d are constructed so that they can grasp a component having either tape interval. Furthermore, the chucks 6 a through 6 d are constructed so that they can be advanced and retracted as indicated by arrows X and Y with respect to the position of the supplying device 4 and the position of the transferring device 12 in the component supplying station position P and the component transferring station position Q, respectively, by driving devices such as cylinders or solenoids under the control of the controller 18.

Further, the transferring device 12 is provided with a pair of centering chucks (centering pieces) 13 a and 13 b for centering the position of the main body of each set axial type electronic component 1. The centering chucks 13 a, 13 b have recesses 30 in their portions which are to contact opposite ends of the body 1 a of each electronic component 1 as shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B. The pair of centering chucks 13 a and 13 b provided in center positions for holding each component adjust the axial type electronic component 1 from both the ends of the body 1 a of the component 1 delivered to retaining pieces 9 a and 9 b or 10 a and 10 b provided at the transferring device 12 so as to correct the position of the component 1. That is, the centering chucks 13 a and 13 b are arranged and are movable in a symmetrical manner with respect to the center of the transferring device 12. Thus, if the component 1 is received by the centering chucks 13 a and 13 b and the retaining pieces 9 a and 9 b or 10 a and 10 b with the component 1 shifted from the center of the transferring device 12, the centering chucks 13 a and 13 b are simultaneously moved in directions to come closer to each other and one of the centering chucks 13 a and 13 b contacts and moves the component 1 toward the other chuck. Then, finally, the component 1 is held between the centering chucks 13 a and 13 b with the component centered with respect to the center of the transferring device 12. The pair of retaining pieces 10 a and 10 b located outwardly and the retaining pieces 9 a and 9 b located inwardly are arranged so that they correspond to the pair of protruding grasping pieces 19 a and 19 d located outwardly and the pair of protruding grasping pieces 19 b and 19 c located inwardly, and constructed so that they can advance and retreat in a N-direction as indicated by an arrow Z relative to the inserting device 11 while holding the axial type electronic component 1.

The principle of operation of the axial type electronic component inserting apparatus constructed as above will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A through 10.

The operation in a state in which the chuck 6 a shown in FIG. 1 is stopped in the component supplying station position P and the chuck 6 b is stopped in the component transferring station position Q (in the condition of process F) will be described below.

In the component supplying station position P, a component taking-out process (process A) is executed in 1st to 4th Steps in FIG. 10. That is, upon receiving a start command from the controller 18, the chuck 6 a advances in the upper-right direction as indicated by the arrow X in FIG. 1 while opening the ends of the protruding pieces 19 having the grasping grooves 15 as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B so as to grasp the lead wires 2 a and 2 b of the axial type electronic component 1 retained in the supplying device 4 including the portions taped by the tapes 3 a and 3 b which wrap the lead wires 2 a and 2 b (1st Step). After advancing to a specified position (a supplying position) at the supplying device 4, the chuck 6 a grasps the taped portions 3 at both the ends of the axial type electronic component 1 (2nd Step).

Then, the chuck 6 a that is grasping the taped portions 3 at both the ends of the axial type electronic component 1 retreats while grasping the axial type electronic component 1, so that it takes out the axial type electronic component 1 as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B by a specified pitch corresponding to the interval between the components 1 (3rd Step). At this. time, for example, the supplying device 4 intermittently holds and releases the tapes 3 connected to the axial type electronic components 1 in accordance with the component taking-out operation.

The axial type electronic component 1 that has been taken out is subjected to cutting of the tapes 3 a and 3 b by the cutters 5 a and 5 b as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B (4th Step). By this cutting operation, the axial type electronic component 1 grasped by the chuck 6 a is taken out in a state in which it is separated as shown in FIG. 11B from a state in which it is connected with the other components by the tapes 3 a and 3 b as shown in FIG. 11A.

Assuming that the tape interval is 26 mm in one case and the interval is 52 mm in another case, the manner in which electronic components are chucked in both cases will be explained below.

When an electronic component 1 having a tape interval of 52 mm is to be chucked, the taped portions of the electronic component 1 are grasped by the outer-side pair of grasping grooves 15 a, 15 b. Assuming that the lead wire diameter of the electronic component 1 is 0.6 mm and the thickness of each paper of the tape is 0.1 mm, the clearance between the outer pair of protruding grasping pieces 19 a and 19 d is 0.5 mm and the clearance between the inner pair of protruding grasping pieces 19 b and 19 c is 0.8 mm, as shown in FIG. 17. In this case, as FIG. 19 shows, lead wires 2 a, 2 b bend as shown in FIG. 19 and, even where the lead wires 2 a, 2 b are likely to be dislocated from the inner-side grasping grooves 15 b, 15 c, the opposite taped portions of the electronic component 1 can be grasped by the outer side grasping grooves 15 a, 15 d with the lead wires 2 being not grasped by the projecting grasping pieces 19 b and 19 c, because the clearance between the inner side protruding grasping pieces 19 b, 19 c is larger than the diameter of the lead wires. If the inner side surfaces of the protruding grasping pieces 19 a, 19 b, 19 c, 19 d and groove positions of the grasping grooves 15 a, 15 b, 15 c, 15 d were all flush with one another, the lead wires would be grasped between the inner side protruding grasping pieces 19 b, 19 c and, therefore, taped portions of the electronic component 1 could not be grasped by the outer grasping grooves 15 a, 15 d. The detailed reason is as follows. The outer side protruding grasping pieces 19 a, 19 d and the inner side protruding grasping pieces 19 b, 19 c are integrally arranged on each chuck 16 and thus they are integrally moved to grasp the end portions of the electronic component or release the grasping. Therefore, when the outer side protruding grasping pieces 19 a, 19 d grasp the end portions of the electronic component, though unnecessary, the inner side protruding grasping pieces 19 b, 19 c do the similar grasping operation together with the outer side protruding grasping pieces 19 a, 19 d. Then, it is necessary to prevent the inner side protruding grasping pieces 19 b, 19 c from contacting the lead wires of the component grasped by the outer side protruding grasping pieces 19 a, 19 d as described above.

When an electronic component having a tape interval of 26 mm is to be chucked, the taped portions of the electronic component are grasped by the inner side grasping grooves 15 b, 15 c. Assuming that the lead wire diameter of the electronic component 1 is 0.6 mm and the thickness each paper of the tape is 0.1 mm in this case, the clearance between the outer pair of protruding grasping pieces 19 a and 19 d is 0.2 mm and the clearance between the inner pair of protruding grasping pieces 19 b and 19 c is 0.5 mm.

Meanwhile, in the component transferring station position Q, a component transferring process (process B) as shown in the 5th Step through the 7th Step is executed. That is, the chuck 6 b has already undergone the 1st Step through the 4th Step (process A), and the chuck 6 b has moved to the component transferring station position Q while grasping the axial type electronic component 1. Upon receiving a start command from the controller 18, the chuck 6 b starts the operation of the component transferring process (process B) concurrently with the process A in a manner as follows.

That is, the chuck 6 b advances in the lower direction as indicated by the arrow Y in FIG. 1 (5th Step) When the chuck 6 b moves to the component transferring position, the axial type electronic component 1 grasped by the chuck 6 b is delivered to the transferring device 12. The transferring device 12 catches the axial type electronic component 1 as shown in FIG. 7 by the transferring chucks 9 a and 9 b and the centering chucks 13 a and 13 b, so that the transferring device 12 receives the axial type electronic component 1 upon release of grasp and a retreating motion of the chuck 6 b (6th Step).

The axial type electronic component 1 received by the transferring chucks 9 a and 9 b is subjected to centering position correction by the centering chucks 13 a and 13 b simultaneously with the release of grasp of the chuck 6 b in a process C as follows (8th Step).

It is to be noted that the configuration of both ends of the body 1 a of the electronic component 1 may vary in various ways as shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B. When the ends are of a planar configuration as in FIG. 20A, there is no problem, whereas if the ends are round as in FIG. 20B, the electronic component tends to become dislocated obliquely forward during a centering operation by the centering chucks 13 a, 13 b as shown in FIG. 21. In that case, however, ends of the electronic component 1 can be held in place by being guided by the recesses 30 of the centering chucks 13 a, 13 b. Therefore, the centering operation can be performed in a stable way.

Upon confirming the reception of the component 1 by the transferring device 12, the chuck 6 b immediately retreats to return to its original position (7th Step).

Upon detecting the completion of the component transferring process (process B), the controller 18 outputs an operation command of a component transporting process (process C) as in the subsequent 8th through 10th Steps. That is, the centering operation as described above is performed in the 8th Step, and the transferring device 12 advances the axial type electronic component 1 in the lower-left direction of Z in FIG. 1 to an inserting position as indicated by K in FIG. 1 while holding the axial type electronic component 1 by the transferring chucks 9 a and 9 b and the centering chucks 13 a and 13 b (9th Step). Then, the axial type electronic component 1 is delivered to the inserting device 11 in the 10th Step.

Upon detecting the completion of the 10th Step of the component transporting process (process C), the controller 18 outputs an operation command of a component inserting process (process D) as indicated by the 12th Step through the 13th Step. That is, the inserting device 11 starts a component receiving process D for receiving the axial type electronic component 1 held by the transferring chucks 9 a and 9 b and the centering chucks 13 a and 13 b.

Upon the start of the process D, the transferring device 12 return to its original position (11th Step).

Further, upon detecting the completion of both the 4th Step of the component taking-out process (process A) and the 7th Step of the component transferring process (process B) concurrently with the above-mentioned process C and the process D, the controller 18 outputs an operation command of a carrier turning process (a state of process E). That is, a turn command of the controller 18 is outputted to the AC servomotor 8, so that the circular table 7 is turned by an angle of 90° in the direction as indicated by the arrow R in FIG. 1 (15th Step). By this operation, the chuck 6 a in the component supplying station position P turns by an angle of 90° while grasping the axial type electronic component 1 and then stops in the component transferring station position Q. Meanwhile, the chuck 6 b located in the component transferring station position Q turns by an angle of 90° in a similar manner and then stops in the next station. Meanwhile, the chuck 6 c and the chuck 6 d move to the respective subsequent station positions, so that the chuck 6 d stops in the component supplying station position P.

Also, in the process D, the inserting device 11 cuts the lead wires 2 a and 2 b of the axial type electronic component 1 to a specified length as indicated by W in FIG. 8 concurrently with the aforementioned processes, and then bends the lead wires 2 a and 2 b to a specified width (12th Step). The thus processed axial type electronic component 1 is inserted into holes 17 a and 17 b of a board 17 as shown in FIG. 9 (13th Step). Subsequently, the inserted lead wires 2 a and 2 b of the axial type electronic component 1 are further bent on the rear surface of the board 17 so as to be fixed onto the board 17 (14th Step).

Thus, the work of the process B is executed concurrently with the process A in the state of the process F, and then the table 7 is turned in the state of the process E. Meanwhile, the work of the process C and the work of the process D are concurrently executed, so that one tact operation as described above is completed.

Even when the components are changed to axial type electronic components 1 having a varied tape interval of 52 mm, though the case is not shown in FIG. 1, such an axial type electronic component 1 having a varied specification can be easily inserted according to the above embodiment.

Furthermore, the aforementioned series of processes A through D as shown in FIG. 10 are satisfactorily timed by confirming the progress of each process based on signal conditions.

As described above, according to the aforementioned embodiment, the process E is executed after the process A and the process B are completed independently of the execution of the process C, thereby allowing the subsequent tact operation to be started. This arrangement means that the existence of the plurality of chucks 6 a through 6 d and the transferring device 12 enables the operations of the process A, process B,and the process E independently of the operation of the process C, thereby efficiently supplying each component 1 to the inserting device 11. Therefore, the supply of each component 1 to the inserting device 11 can be smoothly performed successively without any extra wait time, and therefore the efficiency of insertion of the axial type electronic components 1 can be substantially improved.

The operations, for example, for confirming the reception of the component 1 by the transferring device 12 at the 7th Step, detecting the completion of the component transferring process (process B), detecting the completion of the 10th Step of the component transporting process (process C), detecting the completion of both the 4th Step of the component taking-out process (process A) and the 7th Step of the component transferring process (process B) concurrently with the above-mentioned process C and the process D can be performed by receiving signals outputted by sensors for detecting the respective operations.

The method of the embodiment of the present invention can operate as follows. That is, the process E in which the carrying device provided with the plurality of chucks moves and the process F in which the carrying device stops the chucks at least in the component supplying position and the component transferring position are alternately executed, the process A in which the chuck which stops in the component supplying position takes out an axial type electronic component from the component supplying device is executed within the process F, and the process B in which the axial type electronic component grasped through the process A is delivered to the component transferring device is executed concurrently with the above operation. Further, the process C in which the component transferring device delivers the axial type electronic component to the component inserting device through the process B is completed by a time when the chuck located in the component transferring position is put into a state in which the chuck becomes capable of delivering the axial type electronic component to the component transferring device in the process B of the next component inserting cycle. Then, the process D in which the axial type electronic component is fixed to the board through the process C is completed by a time when the component transferring device is put into a state in which the component transferring device becomes capable of delivering the axial type electronic component to the component inserting device in the process C of the next cycle. Therefore, the taking-out operation and the delivering operation of axial type electronic components can be simultaneously performed by different chucks. Furthermore, the process B is completed when the axial type electronic component is delivered to the component transferring device. Therefore, the operation of the component carrying device is enabled with completion of the process A with no wait for the inserting work of the component inserting device, so that the movement of unloaded chucks and the movement of the next component can be performed by means of the plurality of chucks. Therefore, the processing time can be substantially reduced, and the component inserting device can execute the process D by successively receiving axial type electronic components efficiently by the process C in which the axial type electronic components are transferred by the component transferring device.

In the case where the position of the axial type electronic component delivered to the component transferring device is centered by adjusting the main body of the component from both sides in the process B in which the axial type electronic component grasped by the chuck is delivered to the component transferring device, the center position of the component can be seized to allow centering correction to be surely achieved independently of the size of the main body of the component.

The apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention comprises: chucks constructed so that each of the chucks can move forward and backward while grasping the end portions of each axial type electronic component; a component carrying device which is provided with the chucks arranged at regular intervals in a circular form and each of the chucks operates intermittently by stopping the chucks at least in a component supplying position and a component transferring position; a component transferring device which receives each axial type electronic component from each chuck located in the component transferring position and carries the axial type electronic component to a component inserting position; and a component inserting device which receives the axial type electronic component from the component transferring device in the component inserting position and fixes the axial type electronic component to the board. With the above arrangement, the component supplying and transferring operations can be executed synchronously by the plurality of chucks which are arranged in a circular form and some of which stop at least in the component supplying position and the component transferring position upon the turning operation of the component carrying device. Furthermore, the existence of the component transferring device allows the intermittent turning operation of the component carrying device to be achieved efficiently, thereby producing the same effect as that of the method of the embodiment of the present invention.

Furthermore, when each chuck serving as a component grasping device for grasping each axial type electronic component is provided with plural pairs of protruding grasping pieces corresponding to different tape intervals for concurrently grasping the tapes and lead wires of an axial type electronic component having a varied tape interval, the component transferring device is provided. with retaining pieces corresponding to the protruding grasping pieces of the component grasping device, and further the component transferring device is provided with centering pieces for centering the axial type electronic component by adjusting the main body of a set axial type electronic component from both sides, then axial type electronic components having different tape intervals can be easily transferred by the plural pairs of protruding grasping pieces and the retaining pieces corresponding to each taping interval. Furthermore, the centering pieces center the axial type electronic component by adjusting the main body of the axial type electronic component set in the transferring device from both sides. Therefore, the centering can be correctly achieved even when the main body of the electronic components varies in size or has a varied tape interval, thereby allowing components having different specifications to be inserted by simple mechanism at low cost.

Four chucks 6 a through 6 d are employed in the present embodiment. However, there may be employed any number of chucks so long as the number is not smaller than two and the chucks can position components 1 simultaneously in both the supplying device 4 and the inserting device 11. Furthermore, the supplying device 4 and the inserting device 11 are not required to be placed in adjacent station positions, and they may be placed in positions opposite to each other at an angle of 180°. Furthermore, the tape interval is limited neither to the interval of 26 mm nor to the interval of 52 mm, and the chuck 6 may be provided with two or more pairs of protruding pieces 19. Furthermore, the centering chucks 13 a and 13 b are operated according to the description of the operation of the aforementioned embodiment. However, they are not required to operate in the case of components which require no centering operation. In other words, the present invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiment but accepts a variety of modifications based on the concept of the present invention, meaning that such modifications are not excluded from the scope of the present invention.

According to the present invention, there can be provided an axial type electronic component inserting method and apparatus capable of concurrently performing a plurality of processes through reduction of the wasteful blank time by means of the plurality of chucks and the transferring device so as to improve the efficiency of insertion of axial type electronic components, and easily managing axial type electronic components having different tape interval specifications by means of the plurality of grasping pieces provided at the chuck and the plurality of retaining pieces or the centering chucks provided at the transferring device.

Moreover, the present invention is such that, during a centering operation, both ends of the body of each axial type electronic component are guided into the recesses of the centering pieces so that the electronic component is prevented from being dislocated from the centering pieces due to the impact of centering. This ensures accurate centering of the component.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the grasping grooves of the outer-side protruding grasping pieces are slightly less deep than the grasping grooves of the inner-side protruding grasping pieces for grasping an electronic component whose tape portions are of a smaller interval. Therefore, when tape portions of an axial type electronic component which are relatively large are grasped by the chuck, the lead wire portions of the electronic component, with the end portions of the component held by the grasping grooves, are to be kept in free condition without being retained within the space between the grasping grooves for the electronic component of the smaller tape interval.

Therefore, even where the lead wire portions of an electronic component having a larger tape interval are so much bent as may be dislocated out of the grasping grooves for an electronic component having a smaller tape interval, the end portions of the electronic component can be positively retained without being grasped by the grasping pieces for grasping the component whose taped edges are of a smaller interval.

Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications are apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims unless they depart therefrom. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of inserting, into a board, axial-type electronic components, wherein each of the electronic components has a main body and a pair of lead wires extending from the main body and belongs to an assembly of axial-type electronic components connected by a tape as arranged at regular intervals, wherein the axial-type electronic components are grasped with a plurality of chucks which are intermittently moved to a component supplying position and a component transferring position, respectively, each of the chucks comprising protruding grasping pieces having first grasping grooves and second grasping grooves, the first grasping grooves having inner surfaces for grasping end portions of each of a first kind of the axial-type electronic components whose taped portions are of a first tape interval, the second grasping grooves having inner surfaces for grasping end portions of each of a second kind of the axial-type electronic components whose taped portions are of a second tape interval smaller than the first tape interval, wherein a depth of each of the first grasping grooves is smaller than a depth of each of the second grasping grooves, the method including first and second component inserting cycles: wherein said first component inserting cycle comprises a first process of taking out an initial one of the axial-type electronic components from a component supplying device which retains the assembly of axial-type electronic components connected by the tape by having a first of the chucks grasp end portions of the assembly at the component supplying position, such that the inner surfaces of the second grasping grooves of the first chuck are prevented from contacting the lead wires of the initial axial-type electronic component when the lead wires of the initial axial-type electronic component are grasped by the inner surfaces of the first grasping grooves of the first chuck and the initial axial-type electronic component grasped by the first chuck is one of the first kind of the axial-type electronic components, and a component delivering process of moving to a component inserting device the first chuck which has already grasped the initial axial-type electronic component in said first process, and delivering the initial axial-type electronic component to the component inserting device from the first chuck; and wherein said second component inserting comprises a first process of taking out a subsequent one of the axial-type electronic components from the component supplying device; wherein said component delivering process of said first component inserting cycle is executed simultaneously with said first process of said second component inserting cycle.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first process of the first component inserting cycle includes, before the component taking-out step, stopping the first chuck at the component supplying position and grasping by the stopped first chuck the end portions of the assembly of axial-type electronic components in the component supplying device for retaining the assembly of axial-type electronic components connected by the tape, and also includes, after the taking-out step, cutting the tape which connects the assembly of axail-type electronic components so as to separate the initial axal-type electronic component from a remainder of the assembly.
 3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the component delivering process of the first component inserting cycle further includes: a second process of delivering the initial axial-type electronic component to a component transferring device, and a third process of delivering the initial axial-type electronic component to the component inserting device from the component transferring device which has already grasped the initial axial-type electronic component in the second process.
 4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first component inserting cycle further comprises: a fourth process of: inserting both ends of the lead wires of the in initial axial-type electronic component which has aready been received by the component inserting device into specified holes of the board, and bending the lead wires of the initial axial-type component underneath the board to fix the lead wires of the initial axial-type electronic component to the board, wherein the third process of the first component inserting cycle is completed by a time when a second of the chucks, located in the component transferring position, is put into a state in which the second chuck is prepared to deliver the subsequent axial-type electronic component to the component transferring device in a second process of the second component inserting cycle, and the fourth process is completed by a time when the component transferring device is put into a state in which the component transferring device is prepared to deliver the subsequent axial-type dectronic component to the component inserting device in a third process of the second component inserting cycle.
 5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first and second component inserting cycles comprise: moving the chucks intermittently to the component supplying position and the component transferring position, respectively, by a carrying device; stoping the chucks at the component supplying position and the component transferring position by the carrying device; and wherein the intermittent moving of the chucks and the stopping of the chucks are executed alternately.
 6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the third process comprises operating the component transfering device to cause centering of the initial axial-type electronic component by adjusting the main body of the initial axial-type electronic component from both sides of the main body of the initial axial-type electronic component while recesses formed on facing portions of centering pieces come in contact with both sides of the body of the initial axial-type electronic component.
 7. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the third process comprises operating the component transferring device to cause centering of the initial axial-type electronic component by adjusting the main body of the initial axial-type electronic component from both sides of the main body of the initial axial-type electronic component while recesses formed on facing portions of centerng pieces come in contact with both sides of the body of the initial axial-type electronic component.
 8. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the third process comprises operating the component transferring device to cause centering of the initial axial-type electronic component by adjusting the main body of the initial axial-type electronic component from both sides of the main body of the initial axial-type electronic component while recesses formed on facing portions of centering pieces come in contact with both sides of the body of the initial axial-type electronic component.
 9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first process of the first component inserting cycle includes, before the component taking-out step, stopping the first chuck at the component supplying position and grasping by the stopped first chuck the end portions of the assembly of axial-type electronic components in the component supplying device for retaining the assembly of al-type electronic components connected by the tape, and also includes, after the taking-out step, cutting the tape which connects the assembly of axial-type electronic components so as to separate the initial axial-type electronic component from a remainder of the assembly.
 10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the component delivering process of the first component inserting cycle further includes: a second process of deliveing the initial axial-type electronic component to a component transferring device; and a third process of delivering the initial axial-type electronic component to the component inserting device from the component transfeing device which has already grasped the initial axial-type electronic component in the second process.
 11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first component inserting cycle further comprises: a fourth process of: inserting both ends of the lead wires of the initial axial-type electronic component which has already been received by the component inserting device into specified holes of the board, and bending the lead wires of the initial axial-type electronic component underneath the board to fix the lead wires of the initial axial-electronic component to the board, wherein the third process of the first component inserting cycle is completed by a time when the second chuck located in the component transferring position is put into a state in which the second chuck is prepared to deliver the subsequent axial-type electronic component to the component transferring device in a second process of the second component inserting cycle, and the fourth process is completed by a time when the component transferring device is put into a state in which the component transferring device is prepared to deliver the subsequent axial-type electronic component to the component inserting device in a third process of the second component inserting cycle.
 12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first and second component inserting cycles comprise: moving the chucks intermittently to the component supplying position and the component transferring position, respectively, by a carrying device; stopping the chucks at the component supplying position and the component transferring position by the carrying device; and wherein the intermittent moving of the chucks and the stopping of the chucks are executed alternately.
 13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the third process comprises operating the component transferring device to cause centering of the initial axial-type electronic component by adjusting the main body of the initial axial-type electronic component from both sides of the main body of the initial axial-type electronic component while recesses formed on facing portions of centering pieces come in contact with both sides of the body of the initial axial-type electronic component.
 14. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the third process comprises operating the component transferring device to cause centering of the initial axial-tpe electronic component by adjusting the main body of the initial axial-type electronic component from both sides of the main body of the initial axial-type electronic component while recesses formed on facing portions of centering pieces come in contact with both sides of the body of the intial axial-type electronic component.
 15. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the third process comprises operating the component transferring device to cause centering of the initial axial-type electronic component by adjusting the main body of the initial axial-type electronic component from both sides of the main body of the initial axial-type electronic component while recesses formed on facing portions of centering pieces come in contact with both sides of the body of the initial axial-type electronic component.
 16. A method of inserting, into a board, axial-type electronic components, wherein each of the electronic components has a main body and a pair of lead wires atending from the main body and belongs to an assembly of axial-type electronic components connected by a tape as arranged at regular intervals, wherein the axial-type electronic components are grasped with a plurality of chucks which are intermittently moved to a component supplying position and a component transferring position, respectively, each of the chucks comprising protruding grasping pieces having first grasping grooves and second grasping grooves, the first grasping grooves having inner surfaces for grasping end portions of each of a first kind of the axial-type electronic components whose taped portions are of a first tape interval, the second grasping grooves having inner surfas for grasping end portions of each of a second kind of the al-type electronic components whose taped portions are of a second tape interval smaller than the first tape interval, wherein a depth of each of the first grasping grooves is smaller than a depth of each of the second grasping grooves, the method including first and second component inserting cycles; wherein said first component inserting cycle comprises a first process of taking out an initial gge of the axial-type electronic components from a component supplying device which retains the assembly of axial-type electronic components connected by the tape while a first of the chucks grasps end portions of the assembly at the component supplying position, such that the inner surfaces of the second grasping grooves of the first chuck vented from contacting the lead wires of the initial axial-type electronic component when the lead wires of the initial axial-type electronic component are grasped by the inner surfaces of the first grasping grooves of the first chuck when the initial axial-type electronic component grasped by the first chuck is one of the first kind of the axial-type electronic components, and a component delivering process of moving to a component inserting device the first chuck which has already grasped the initial axial-type electronic component in said first process, and delvering the initial axial-type electronic component to the component inserting device from the first chuck; wherein said second component inserting cycle comprises a first process of taking out a subsequent of the axial-type electronic components from a component supplying device which retains the assembly of axial-type electronic components connected by the tape while a second of the chucks grasps end portions of the assembly at the component supplying position, while preventing the inner surfaces of the second grasping grooves of the second chuck from contacting the lead wires of the subsequent axial-type electronic component when the lead wires of the subsequent axial-type electronic component are grasped by the inner surfces of the first grasping grooves of the first chuck when the subsequent axial-type electronic component grasped by the second chuck is one of the first kind of the axial-type electronic components; and wherein said component delivering process of said first component inserting cycle is executed simultaneously with said first process of said second component inserting cycle. 